Female terminal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022285871-A1
Application number	US-202017633308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Sep 8, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

It is aimed to provide a female terminal of a novel structure having a large degree of freedom in setting a pressure contact force between a male terminal including a columnar connecting portion and a female terminal including a tubular connecting portion and capable of stably ensuring a large contact area between the male and female terminals. A female terminal 10 includes a tubular connecting portion 24 having a first peripheral wall portion 12 and a second peripheral wall portion 14 arranged to face each other and to be conductively connected to a cylindrical connecting portion 22 of a male terminal 20, a biasing means 64 for biasing the first and second peripheral wall portions 12, 14 in directions approaching each other, and an arcuate protrusion 34 provided on an inner surface 18 having an arcuate cross-section of at least one of the first and second peripheral wall portions 12, 14 and projecting radially inward while extending in a circumferential direction of the inner surface 18. The first and second peripheral wall portions 12, 14 are separably displaceable against a biasing force of the biasing means 64.

First claim

1 . A female terminal, comprising:
a tubular connecting portion including a first peripheral wall portion and a second peripheral wall portion arranged to face each other, the tubular connecting portion being conductively connected to a columnar connecting portion of a male terminal; a biasing means for biasing the first and second peripheral wall portions in directions approaching each other; and an arcuate protrusion provided on an inner surface having an arcuate cross-section of at least one of the first and second peripheral wall portions, the arcuate protrusion projecting radially inward while extending in a circumferential direction of the inner surface, wherein: the first and second peripheral wall portions are separably displaceable against a biasing force of the biasing means, both the first and second peripheral wall portions have the inner surface having the arcuate cross-section, the arcuate protrusion is provided on the inner surface of one of the first and second peripheral wall portions, and linear connecting portions projecting radially inward while extending in an axial direction of the inner surface are provided at a plurality of positions separated in the circumferential direction on the inner surface of the other of the first and second peripheral wall portions.

2 . (canceled)

3 . (canceled)

4 . A female terminal according to claim 1 , wherein a curvature of the other of the first and second peripheral wall portions is set smaller than that of an outer peripheral surface of the columnar connecting portion of the male terminal.

5 . A female terminal according to claim 1 , wherein the arcuate protrusion extends in the circumferential direction to have a circumferential length of ⅔ or more of a circumferential length of the inner surface.

6 . A female terminal according to claim 1 , wherein a side surface of the arcuate protrusion facing a male terminal insertion opening side of the tubular connecting portion has an arcuate cross-section.

7 . A female terminal according to claim 1 , wherein:
a pair of overlapping plate portions separated from each other and projecting outward are respectively connected to a pair of mutually facing peripheral end parts of the first and second peripheral wall portions, and the biasing means biases the pair of overlapping plate portions in directions to overlap the overlapping plate portions each other, whereby the first and second peripheral wall portions are biased in directions approaching each other.

8 . A female terminal according to claim 1 , further comprising a female terminal fitting including the tubular connecting portion on one end side and a wire connecting portion on the other end side, wherein the biasing means is held on the female terminal fitting.

Assignees

• Autonetworks Technologies Ltd
• Sumitomo Wiring Systems
• Sumitomo Electric Industries

Inventors

• Nishijima Seido
• Aizawa Katsuhiko
• Ida Kyohei

Classifications

• H01R13/111 Primary

  co-operating with pins having a circular transverse section · CPC title

• H01R13/18 Primary

  with the spring member surrounding the socket · CPC title

• H01R4/183

  for cylindrical elongated bodies, e.g. cables having circular cross-section (H01R4/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01R11/12

  End pieces terminating in an eye, hook, or fork · CPC title

• H01R13/20

  Pins, blades, or sockets shaped, or provided with separate member, to retain co-operating parts together · CPC title